The Rose Killer
by victoriarty
Summary: Broadchurch AU - A murdered little girl and a rose remind DI Alec Hardy of his first case which he never solved...
1. Chapter 1

**_Note: English is not my native language! It could be that there are some grammatical mistakes. I'm sorry for that._**

* * *

"Daddy, when is mommy coming home?"

"She's working overtime, honey. Don't you remember? We've talked about that already," DI Alec Hardy answered. He pointed at the half full plate of his daughter. "Come on, eat your vegetables too."

"Aye-aye, sir," Kate said and put a little carrot in her mouth. Alec looked at the five-year-old. His daughter is the best thing that happened to him in his entire life. He would do anything for her. He would give his life for her.

Alec looked at his wristwatch. It's half past eight already. He sighed and looked at Kate, who's still occupied in eating her vegetables.

"Could you please hurry up a bit, honey?" he asked her. "I still have to do so much tonight."

"What do you have to do?" Kate wanted to know.

"I have to write a big report about a solved case," he answered.

"Okay," Kate said. She's easily satisfied. She put the last carrot in her mouth. "I'm finished daddy!" she shouted.

"Okay, okay," Alec said. "Could you please talk a little bit quieter?"

"Sure, dad," she whispered.

"Good, and now it's time for bed."

"But daddy, I can't go to bed now!"

"Why, honey?"

"I can't go to bed without telling mommy goodnight," Kate complained.

"I bet you can," Alec said. "You did it before, didn't you? Last time you didn't complained."

"No I..."

"Yes, yes you did. And now go upstairs and get ready. I will come and give you a good night kiss in five minutes.

* * *

"Why are you awake?"

"I can't sleep."

"Why?"

"Because I'm thinking about you." He turned his head and looked at her. "I want to spend every day, every hour and every minute for the rest of my life with you," he whispered in her ear with a raw voice.

Elizabeth turned around to look in the eyes of her love of life. "And I want to spend the rest of my life with you." She gave him a tender kiss on the lips. "But you know that this is not going to happen because I have a little daughter and a husband that loves me too."

"But you just said that you want to spend the rest of your life..."

"...with you, yes, I know," she interrupted him. "But you know that it's not that easy. Alec doesnt't even know that you exist in my life."

"You have to tell him about me. Maybe he will understand our love."

She stared at George disbelievingly. "You're not serious, are you? The only one he loves more than me is our daughter."

George stroked her cheek. "But you love me more than him. So why don't you just tell him the truth finally?"

"Because I don't want to hurt him! He's the father of my daughter and he is my husband. If I tell him that I don't want to live with him anymore and that I want a divorce... I don't even want to imagine what this would do to him!"

He cupped her face in his hands and looked her deep in the eyes. "You need to start thinking about yourself! Why do you always want to please everyone except yourself? This is not a way to live! Think about yourself. What do YOU want?"

Elizabeth stared at him. Wow, nobody has talked to me like this before, she thought. She didn't now how to answer because she didn't exactly know what she wanted. On the one hand she wanted to share the rest of her life with George. He was her love of life. He understood her. He always knew exactly what she needed. He gave her the feeling that she's not alone. He was the one she wanted to grow old with. But on the other hand she didn't want to leave Alec because of Kate. Kate needed both of her parents. As a nurse she often heard about children whos parents are divorced. They often become mentally ill. Kate shouldn't suffer from this. Kate shouldn't be torn out of the happy family life she grew up in.

"Um... I don't know what... um... what I want." She finally managed to answer.

"But I think that I know what you want, love. You want to live with me. You want to start a family with me."

Elizabeth didn't answer. Yes, that's exactly what I want, she thougt. But what about Alec and Kate...

"We can't go on like this forever." George stated.

"Yeah, I know, I know... but we will find a solution for this problem, I promise." Elizabeth smiled at her love.

George looked at his love. She seemed to be very stressed out about this situation. He needed to cheer her up a bit. "Okay, but while we're trying to find a solution I want you to take some time off and go on a trip with me." he said. He actually wanted to tell her this tonight at a romantic candle dinner, but it seemed to be the right time now.

"What? Why... a trip? Whereto?" This took her by surprise. A trip? She hadn't been on a trip for at least five years so this sounds very tempting.

"Yes, a trip to Paris, the city of love." He gave her a seductive look. "It's all organised. I called your boss at the hospital. She gives you a week off. So yeah. You're going on a trip with me."

Elizabeth was overwhelmed. She always wanted to go to Paris. She was already picturing all the beautiful sights of Paris which she only know from books and photos to herself when another thought came to her mind. "And what about Kate and Alec?"

Geoge also thought about this. "I think that Alec can take care of Kate for a week. I mean, he's a police man, right? They never have much to do."

* * *

*ring ring ring*

Alec sat up. He looked around and realised that he fell asleep over his computer. It seemed that he fell asleep while working on his report.

He fumbled for his phone, still half asleep. It was his Chief, Martin Anderson. Alec sighed. This was the last person he wanted to talk to right now. But he answered the call anyway.

"Yes?" he asked tiredly.

"Good morning Alec!" the Chief said loudly. Morning? Alec looked at his wristwatch. It was half past three in the morning. How can you wish someone a good morning with such a happy voice at such time?

"What is it Chief?" Alec grunted in the phone.

"I have a case for you," Chief Andersons voice suddenly sounded very serious.

"A new case? Now?"

"Yes, a new case, now. It's very important and I want you to work at it. I think that you're the best man for this job."

"Okay, okay, I got it. So what's the case?"

"The Rose Killer is back."

Alec congealed as he heard these words. He remembered this name. The Rose Killer was the name the newspaper gave a serial killer who killed five girls ten years ago. He sighed. It was his first case and also the only one he never solved.

Chief Anderson continued "5-year-old Louise Tallis was found dead at the St.-Michaels-Park an hour ago today after being reported missing a few weeks ago. And guess what she had in her hand?"

Alec shuddered. "A rose," he answered with a hoarse voice.

"Exactly. I expect you to be here as fast as you can. I want you to see the corpse before they take it to the forensics." Chief Anderson ended the call without any further words. Alec sat there with the phone in his hands a few more moments. Shocked. So many questions were floating in his head that moment. Why did he murder again? Why now? Why always little girls? How can someone even be that cruel? But then a new thought came to his mind. The Rose Murder never kidnapped the girls and waited a few weeks before killing them. He always did it within a few hours. Alec remembered all the facts they had back then exactly. He knew that the murderer was a man aged 35-50 who presumably lived in this city his whole life. He has murdered five four to five year old girls within a period of three months. And the procedure was always the same: The murderer kidnapped the girls when they were unattended. Common places for this were parks, playgrounds or even carparks in front of supermarkets. Then he killed them by drowning. After that he deposited them near the places where he kidnapped them. After that he depositet them near the places where he had kidnapped them. And the most conspicious thing about this case were the red roses in the hands of the girls. But all these facts were not enough to catch the murderer or at least to identify him. So he was still at large.

Alec let out a deep breath and walked into the kitchen. He needed a sedative tablet after these terrible news. But then the stack of newspapers next to the dustbin caught his eye. He picked up the first paper on the stack. The headline said "Where are our girls?" Below it there was a picture of two families holding photos of their missing daughters up. Alec held his breath as he read the names of the parents. Lisa and Herbert Jackson and Mary and Lewis Tallis. Tallis. That's the name of the girl found at the park. Alec flicked through the newspaper. There it was. A big report about five families whos daughters went missing in the last few weeks. Alec skimmed the text briefly. Every family said pretty much the same. That their girl suddenly disappeared when she was playing at the playground or at the park. Alec shuddered when he read the last sentence of this report. "Please bring our girls back home." He shut the newspaper. The entire situation is so untypical for the Rose Killer. He never kept the girls for such a long time. And he also never kidnapped more than one at one stroke.

Suddenly another thought which he didn't had ten years ago came to his mind. He now has a little daughter who had just turned five. He threw the newspaper on the kitchen counter and ran upstairs to assure himself that his beloved daughter is still sleeping in her room. Luckily she still was. Alec kneeled down next to her bed and stroked Kates dark-brown hair. He really must drive to the crime scene now, but on his way to Kates room he noticed that Elizabeth still isn't home. So who's going to take care off Kate till he's back? He can't take her with him. Crime scenes with murdered little girls are definitely not the right place for Kate. But what should he do?

"Come on, Kate, wake up." He gripped her shoulder and shook it softly. "I have to work now and you have to come with me."

Alec tried to wake her up once more, but she had such a deep sleep that it was impossible to wake her up. So he wrapped her in her blanket and carried her to his car. He sat her in her children's seat and fastened the seatbelt without waking her up. Then he got in the car too. The drive to the park only took about five minutes.

After Alec parked the car he looked back at the back-seat to assure himself that Kate's still asleep which she was. Then he got out of the car, locked it and went to his collegues, unsure about what he's going to see.


	2. Chapter 2

**Note: I don't have any medical education so at this point I'm sorry for possible nonsense. :)**

* * *

"Ah, you finally made it to the crime scene. I almost wanted to report you missing," Chief Anderson welcomed Alec with a big smile on his face. Alec stopped in front of his Chief and looked at him with the grimmest face he could do. Then he shook his head scornfully and passed by without saying anything. He never understood how someone can make such bad jokes and be so full with sarcasm when being confronted with such a cruel case as his Chief can.

The closer Alec came to the victim, the more policemen, forensics, photographers and even journalists blocked his way to the corpse. Journalists! Alec hated Journalists to the core. Journalists hampered his investigations already ten years ago. He won't let them do this again.

"Everyone who doesn't have anything to do with this case should leave the crime scene immediately!" he shouted. No one reacted. Alec repeated this sentence, this time louder. Finally someone turned around.

"Ah, DI Hardy! Can I ask you some questions please..."

"No! I am not going to answer any of your questions! I want you all to leave right now!" Alec was getting really upset.

"Well I was just asking a question, Sir," the Journalist said harshly. Then he left and with him the other Journalists who blocked the view. Now Alec could have a look at little Louise Tallis. She looked like a sleeping angel with her delicate face and the long blonde curls. She was wearing the same clothes as she was when she went missing: Pink shoes, blue jeans shorts, a white shirt and a white knitted jacket. And, of course, the most conspicious thing: The red rose in her hands. Alec kneeled down next to the girl to look at her more precisely. She didn't seem to have any external injuries. If I didn't know she's dead, I would think that she's only sleeping, Alec thought. He stood up and walked to the forensics doctor, who was taking down some notes.

"Hello Donald, what can you tell me about the victim?" Alec asked, although he knew that there won't be any new information for him as the procedure is most likely to be the same as ten years ago.

"Oh, hello Alec, good to see you here. Finally someone who's serious about this case." Dr Donald Abraham welcomed the Detective. Alec gave him a look. Obviously this was an allousion on the dubious way to work of Chief Anderson.

"The victim is Louise Tallis. She's five years old and lived in the city with her parents," Dr Abraham began to tell.

"Yes, I know. They wrote about her family in the newspaper last week," Alec interposed. Dr Abraham gave him a severe look. "Um... well... how did she die?" Alec asked. He was totally aware that the Doctor doesn't like interruptions.

The Doctor looked back at the corpse. "At first glance there are no obvious injuries. But look at her eyes..." He kneeled down next to the girl, signing Alec to do the same. "Look. Bloodshot eyes." He opened on of the girl's eyes to show Alec the red eyes.

"She's been suffocated," Alec determined.

"Yes, no doubt about that," the Doctor agreed. Alec looked at the clothes of the girl. They seemed to be completely dry.

"Can you already say how long she's been dead?" Alec wanted to know. The Rose Killer murdered his victims by drowning them. So actually the clothes of this girl should be wet. The contrary is the case.

"By her body-temperatur I'd say she's been dead for five hours now," Dr Abraham said. "But that's only an assumption. I have to examine her before I can give you the exact facts about her death."

"Okay, I understand," Alec said. "Oh and before I forget: Please keep the rose! I want to have a look at it."

"Of course. I will put both the rose and the full report on your desk after I'm finished with it."

"Good, thanks!" Alec took a last look at the victim, turned around and walked a few steps. Five hours. That's enough time to dry her clothes and also her hair. It seemed that the Rose Killer still followed his old procedure. Another thought crossed his mind: What about the person who found the girl? Alec walked to a young police officer.

"Hey you! What's your name?" Alec asked.

"I'm Sergeant Daniel Manning, Sir." Alec observed the young Sergeant. He had never seen him before. Must be new here.

"Hello Sergeant. Can you tell me who found the victim?"

"Yes, of course I can. It's the young man over there." The Sergeant pointed to a man who was sitting on a bench under a big oak. "His name is Julian Lucas. He was walking his dog here. The dog was also the one who alerted him."

Alec thanked and walked towards the park bench where Julian Lucas was waiting. A police officer told him not to leave this bench until he gives his permission. Alec sat down next to him.

"Hello. "I'm DI Alec Hardy and I'm the conducting Detective in this case. So you found the girl?"

"Yes, indeed." Alec surveyed the man. He looked very young, 18, maybe 19 years old. He made a shy impression on Alec.

"Why were you here at night? I mean even parks have closing hours and as far as I know this park is not allowed to be visited between eleven in the evening and six in the morning. So what were you doing here?"

Julian stared at the Detective. He didn't know that. "I... I was walking my dog like I do every night."

"Why at night?" Alec wanted to know. "Isn't it an unusual time to walk a dog?"

"Yes, I know, but I prefer to walk him at night because there isn't anyone out here." Julian looked at the Detective. "I love being alone here in the dark," he said with a quiet almost creepy voice.

"Um... okay." Alec was confused by that eerie reaction of the young man. "So... err... how did you find the corpse?"

"Actually Rico found the girl. My dog," Julian explained as he saw Alecs questioning look. "Usually he's such a obedient dog but tonight he just wasn't himself. He was unsettled and even barked once. This was so not him! And then he ran behind that bush over there and barked even louder than before. Of course I ran to him immediately and there she was. I instantly knew that she was dead. She looked so peaceful..." Julian looked down on his feet, suddenly he seemed to be deep in thought.

Alec put his hand on Julian's shoulder. "Julian? What happened then?" he sprang him from his thoughts.

"Um, yes, sorry." Julian looked up. "Then... then I called the police. That's it. Since then I've been waiting here." he completed his story.

"Thank you." Alec stood up. "Please don't leave the city without our permission in case we have some further questions."

"Okay. I rarely leave the city anyway," Julian explained.

"Good." Alec walked a few steps away from the bench without saying goodbye. He looked around. Seems that my work here is done for now, he thought. He went towards his car.

"Hey Alec!"

The DI stopped and turned around. What he saw was Chief Anderson running after him.

"What is it, Chief?" Alec asked.

The Chief stopped next to Alec. He was completely out of breath. I always tell you to do more sports, Alec thought.

"And? What do you think? Was it the Rose Killer?" The Chief asked in a croaky voice.

"All signs point to him. The age of the girl, where she was found, and even the rose in her hand. That's exactly how the Rose Killer did it." Alec sighed. "But I still have doubts. What if it's a copycat killer?"

"Then we will find out. At the moment we just give our best. We will find the killer. Whether it is the Rose Killer or a copycat."

They both walked a few steps side by side without saying anything when Alec suddenly stpped. His heart stood still for a second. Then it began to race.

"Kate," he whispered.

* * *

"Hello Alec? I couldn't get you on the phone so I'm speaking on your mobile mailbox now. I just wanted to tell you that I need a break. I'm at home noe, but only for packing some stuff together. I'm going to vacation for a week so I want you to take care of Kate. Please tell her that I love her. Thank you! See you!" Elizabeth hang up. She looked at George. "I'm wondering where he and Kate are..." She looked at the clock. It's six in the morning.

"Maybe he brought her to the kindergarten earlier today," she considered. George just shrugged. He actually didn't care about that. He just wanted to fly to Paris with his love finally.

"Come on, love, let's go." George urged.

Elizabeth cast a last glance at the living room and then they left the house together and got in the car.

"What do you tell Alec when you stay overnight at my place? Doesn't he ask you where you've been?" George asked while he was searching his pockets for the car keys.

"I always tell him that I work overtime or night shifts at the hospital," Elizabeth answered.

"And he believes you?"

"Yes. Well I think so. At least he never asks any questions about that so..."

"But why don't you finally tell him about us? About our relationship?" George wanted to know. He just can't understand why this was such a problem for Elizabeth.

"Because I don't want to hurt him, that's why," Elizabeth answered. "We have already talked about that, don't you remember? I don't want to tear our family apart."

"Families split up everyday, love. That's not that big problem anymore. We live in modern times," George said.

"But it's different with us. Alec loves me so much. And he loves Kate. He loves our family. He wouldn't be able to live without me," Elizabeth said. "And of course I would take Kate with me. She's my baby. It would break him not to have her around him everyday. He loves her so much." She looked at George. "He would give his life for her."

"But isn't that something every parent would do?" George said. To him all her excuses sounded very feeble. "Listen to me," he said. "I'm telling you this again now: You need to stop doing what's best for Alec. You have to think about what's best for you!"

Silence.

"Okay. You are right... you are always right. We can't go on like this forever," Elizabeth broke the silence. She sighed. "I will tell him," she finally gave in. She was sick of arguing with George about this issue. "But I want to wait until we're back from Paris."

"Well then," George said as he started the car. He was glad that she finally indulged. That's everything he ever wanted. A life with the woman of his life.

"Bonjour Paris!"


	3. Chapter 3

_"_We're approaching Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in ten minutes. Please return to you seats and fasten the seatbelts."

Elizabeth opened her eyes. She looked at George, who was still sleeping on his seat next to her. She poked him in the ribs.

"Wake up George, we're landing."

Still half asleep he fastened his seatbelt and then fell asleep again. Elizabeth looked at him and smiled. Sometimes he could be like a child.

_Child_.

She thought of Kate. She can't wait to hold her baby in her arms again. For a second she felt a twitch in her chest. But then she thought about Alec. He's such a good father. Nothing will happen to Kate as long as Alec is taking care of her. With this thought in mind she can enjoy her vacation with George in the city of love.

* * *

"Alec? Can you hear me?" The police chief was standing in front of the detective who was sitting in the interrogation room of the local police station. Alec didn't react on the question. The last few hours were like in a frenzy for him. He didn't even remember how he came into this room. His head was emtpy except one thought.

Kate is gone.

Kidnapped.

Probably at a place where he, her own father, couldn't protect her.

These thoughts are unbearable for him. How could this happen?

"Come on Alec. You have to speak ot me now," Chief Anderson tried it once more.

"The only thing I have to do right now is to find my daughter!" Alec shouted angrily. "Don't you understand? She's my everything! I need to find her! I just..." Alec's voice broke. He took a deep breath and looked up for the first time since he's sitting here. What he saw was the face of his Chief. He was visibly surprised about Alec's sudden outburst. He didn't see that coming. The Chief sat down next to Alec and laid his hand on his shoulder.

"I can totally understand you, Alec. But you know the system. You can't help us with our investigations as you're an immediate relative of..."

"What do you mean I can't help you? I am her father! It is my fault that she's gone! Do you understand? It is all my fault!" Alec was on the verge of tears. The feelings of guilt were killing him.

"Please Alec. You know that you can always call me. I will keep you up to date. But now I want you to leave. Go home, take some days off," Chief Anderson told the detective. Alec didn't react. He was staring on the floor again. He didn't want to take some days off. He wanted his daughter back. At any price.

Alec stood up and took a deep breath. He turned around and strode away. He didn't say anything to his Chief. He didn't even look at him.

"I will keep you up to date!" he heard his Chief shouting.

* * *

Alec Hardy closed the door behind him. It was a bizzare atmosphere in the house. No one was talking or laughing. No one was crying because the favourite toy went missing. No one was standing in the kitchen. No one was sitting in the living room. There was just daunting emptiness.

The detective leaned against the wall next to the front door for a few seconds, but then his entire body suddenly got weak. The legs gave in and he slid down the wall. He trembled in every limb. This was all too much for him.

"Why my daughter?" he said to himself quietly. Then he couldn't hold it anymore. He just burst into tears.

There he was. The usually self-confident detective Alec Hardy. Huddling on the floor like a picture of misery. Crying like a baby.

After about ten minutes the tears suddenly stopped. It was like they decided not to stream down Alec's cheeks anymore.

_What am I even doing here?,_ the detective thought. _I should be out there looking for Kate! I don't help her by lying on the floor._

Alec stood up, wiped his tears away and shook his limbs. He noticed that he definitely needed sleep. Or a strong coffee. He chose the second opportunity. As he waited in the kitchen for his coffee to get ready he checked the mail box on his mobile. Three new messages. Two of them were from Chief Anderson, who repeated the things he already told Alec at the police. He shook his head. Although the Chief's just being a kind of caring he can be really annoying. Alec pressed the button to listen to the last message. His mobile slid out of his hand when he heard who was speaking there. It was Eizabeth. His wife. The mother of Kate. He totally forgot about her! He was so concerned about Kate that he forgot about his own wife. He didn't even thought about where she has been all night and day, and he didn't thought about telling her what's going on!

Alec suddenly got throbbing headache. It was like his brain started to burn. He slowly bent down to pick his mobile up.

"...tell her that I love her. Thank you! See you!"

_What the hell did happen? Where is she?,_ Alec thought. He pressed a button on his mobile to listen to the message again.

Akec wasn't able to do anything after he listened to the message. He ignored that the coffee machine was beeping. He ignored the electronic voice who constantly told him which buttons he had to press. He even ignored his pounding head. He just felt an odd mix of sadness and rage inside himself.

How should he survive all of this?

* * *

Someone knocked at the door.

"Yes?"

The door opened. In came Dr Donald Abraham, the forensic doctor.

"Ah, hello Donald. I was expecting you!" Chief Martin Anderson said. "And? What can you say about Louise Tallis?"

Dr Abraham was irritated about the Chief's cheerful welcome. Deaths of little girls and the disappearing of the daughter of his best detective were definitely not things to be that easygoing about. He frowned and decided to ignore the Chief's inappropriate good mood.

"Here's the full autopsy report of the girl and the rose which she held in her hands," the Doctor put both the report and the rose on the Chief's desk. "The autopsy proved it: Louise Tallis was definitely killed by The Rose Killer or by someone who exactly knows how the killer proceeded. There was water in her lungs. She died by drowning. I also found pressure marks on her neck. Therefore I would say that her head was pressed underwater forcibly." He sighed. Although he had been a forensic doctor for almost 30 years now murder victims still didn't leave him cold. "The water in her lungs was normal mains water, so I would say that she was killed in a bathtub or a washbasin. Open the report on page two."

The Chief did as he was told. On this page were six photos. They all showed roughly the same scene. Little girls in beautiful clothes lying on green grass with roses in their hands. They all looked like sleeping angels. But they're not. They all were brutally murdered.

Chief Anderson closed the report. He couldn't look at these photos any longer. They remind him of his own little granddaughter which turned five a month ago.

"Did you find anything else on the body? For example foreign DNA?" he asked.

"No, unfortunately no DNA," Doctor Abraham answered. "But there was another thing I noticed. She was completely healthy. There are no signs of abuse, except the pressure marks on her neck, and she also had enough to eat over the last weeks. She looked neat. So the kidnapper took good care of her before he murdered her." He looked at the Chief. "That's all for now."

"Okay, thank you Donald," the Chief said.

Doctor Abraham was just about to leave the office, when he stopped and turned around. "Oh, what I also wanted to ask you: Is there anything new in the Kate Hardy case?"

"Nothing new. I have sent out all the policemen and track hounds I was able to spare but still no trace of Kate." He lowered his voice a bit. "I hope she just ran away and we'll find her unscathed as soon as possible. Alec wouldn't survive it if anything happened to her."

Doctor Abraham nodded. He also thought about this. Without any response on what the Chief just said he turned around and walked out of the office.

* * *

"Where is my daughter? Do you hear me? Give me Kate!" Alec shouted from the top of his lungs. "Give me -" His voice broke. He was exhausted, his body weak and parched. He didn't eat and drink for days. The detective groaned with pain as he tried to get himself in a more comfortable position. He looked at his wrists. Dried blood was all over his hands and the handcuffs on his wrists. _No wonder,_ he thought. _I shouldn't have tried to get myself free by tearing. I am a bloody police officer, I should knew that this is impossible._

His thoughts were disturbed by the scream of a high-pitched voice.

"Kate!" Alec cried again. He saw a shadow coming out of the dark. "Kate?" he asked a bit less noisy.

"I am not Kate," the shadow said with a deep voice. He sounded amused. He was standing in front of Alec now. Alec could see that the shadow was a big, muscular man with an operation mask on his face. Although he couldn't see the man's face Alec had no doubt that he was grinning under his mask.

"Where the hell is she," Alec managed to say.

"You want to see her? You can see her!" the man said furiously. With a quick move he dragged a little girl who was hiding behind is back and brutally nudged her in front of Alec.

"Kate, darling," the weary father said quietly as he saw his visibly scared daughter and her dirty clothes. "What did they do to you..." The girl didn't seem to notice him. She was just gazing in abstraction. He tried to reach for his daughter, but again the handcuffs hindered him. The big man went behind Alec and violently gripped his hair and tugged him next to his face.

"I will definitely kill you both tonight. I just don't know in what order," he whispered in his victims ear. Alec cringed. "I think I will start with you. Grown men are not as much fun to kill as little girls." He chuckled. "I'm saving the fun for later." The man let go of Alec who was not able to say anything in response. He felt faint. The man stood up and went to Kate. He gripped her arm and pulled her up. Alec looked at them as they left the room.

"Kate...," he breathed. He wasn't able to say more than this. He wasn't able to protest. He didn't even try to put up some resistance when the man unlocked his handcuffs, violently pulled him up and led im into a small room with a bathtub filled with water.

"Kneel down," the man commanded. As Alec didn't follow his orders instantly, the man hit him in the popliteal. Groaning he kneeled down.

"Any last words?" the man asked. He didn't wait for Alec's answer. He pressed his victims head underwater. Alec tried to fight, but his weak and exhausted body had no chance. The man was too strong.

After a minute Alec gave up.

He saw his entire life in his mind's eye. He saw himself as a baby being born to wonderful parents. He saw himself growing up on a farm in Scotland. He saw himself going to school. He saw himself as a young policie officer who wanted to guard the ones who need protection. He saw himself marrying his beautiful wife. He saw himself holding his daughter in his arms for the first time. He saw his daughter going her first steps in life. And eventually he saw himself dying.

_This is the end, _he thought._ This is my end._

* * *

**_So this was the third chapter (but definitely not the last chapter!)! I hope you enjoyed it! Please review!_**


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